Lighthaven
The Queen’s beacon of hope; Lighthaven. A large domain, enclosed by multiple mountain ranges, and the foothold of trade between the western factions and the eastern Snelblum. I get the privilege to meet with the Queen herself, lady Demi Truthforth, to indulge me in the country’s culture. Lighthaven As Described by Queen Demi Truthforth You read that right, reader; I got a first-party record of the Queen herself! I’ve travelled to her castle in the country’s capital, Corridor, to partake in a dinner party during which I am allowed to interview her. I had to spend quite a sum on proper attire, but it is definitely worth it. “Could you tell me about how Lighthaven came to be?” That would be a long, and painful, explanation. I shall try my best to keep it brief. Although it is now ruled by Humans, Lighthaven has a Dwarven ancestry, starting back with the Korogard Dwarves. They felled the mountains that kept our now-beautiful forests and greens away, and made an agreement with savage Tabaxi to keep away from their fortresses. All was peaceful for a time. As the Korogard help up their homes, the Feyborn arrived from the south and Goliath joined from the east. Eventually, Humans became more present in the country, finally seizing power and officially becoming the kingdom of Lighthaven. Then, the invasion happened. Those sickening green mimicries of humanoids invaded the continent. For decades we stood stalwart, but it wasn’t enough. In the end, even this proud castle you find yourself in, dear, was overrun with Goblinoids. My family was sent into hiding in Snelblum, retreating into the Feywild, as the few beacons of hope in Lighthaven would not hold forever. You might be acquainted with what happened next; a demonic invasion took the green-skinned pests as the habitants of the continent and slaughtered them, allowing us to return home to face the unholy threat. I thank the Spirits every day for the courage that Sylvan the Purifier and his men showed when we challenged the Fiends. He rode out to bring each and every one down, throwing them into the Ierzbane portal to save us from their torment. And that is where our history ends, for now. Although there are still incursions of local Goblin tribes and the occasional Tiefling to dispose of, Lighthaven will persevere, as it has since the days of the Korogard. We are privileged to be living in this wondrous day and age. “How are life and culture in Lighthaven?” Oh, it is truly a delight. We handle trading between several countries, so of unique culture there is enough to spare. Most of the country’s populace lives in the big cities such as Corridor, Dizkard or Oldbend, with the others spending their time working on our blooming farms. We are a free state, as long as you abide by our fair laws. The Church of the Wolf is our main law enforcement, and concomitantly our preferred religion. We are of course open to the idea of personal or familial Spirits, it is in our brothers the Dwarves’ blood to pledge allegiance to the clan Spirit first, but a bit of national respect doesn’t hurt anyone either. Most of the cityfolk are Humans, Dwarves and Goliath, with the occasional Halfling and Elf present. I do pity the Elves, truly I do. They were decimated in the Goblin incursion, forcing them into more humble ranks. The High ones tend to stick around cities, while those tree-hugging ones are too involved with those Tabaxi to get out of our forests. Fortunately, I believe the Gnomes are on that. They’ve been doing a lot of work at our farms, helping the common peasant work more efficiently for their state, and I trust they will deal with those tribal people soon enough. “How is your status among the other factions?” I am confident we are observed as what we so graciously do; a shining beacon of hope for all who believe in us. We are industrious, generous, forgiving and friendly with nearly all other nations, and we treat them with respect. I wish it were true that we were allied with every one of them, however. Until those heretics up north are brought to their senses, I fear we will never reach true unity. I can’t comprehend how or why those scaled banelings are so fervent to sticking to their old ways, when there is such a more beautiful alternative. “Are there any fascinating places one could visit here?” Oh, my lands are so beautiful, I could go on for ages if I had to name all the vistas. If ever you are riding horseback, I urge you to follow the Dragon River to the south. The number of pests is significantly lower there, and across the entire way you’ll see wondrous landscapes. If you fancy more of a physical challenge, you may want to visit the Storm Ridge in the west or Tremblepeak in the east. The former is a blockade between Lighthaven and the Scorn, where many clouds gather, resulting in constant thunderstorms. It is a treacherous, but worthwhile trip. Tremblepeak on the other hand is an unnaturally steep mountain, almost like a spire. Rumour has it an old medicine man lives atop the summit, one so powerful he can grant wishes. But those are mere stories.